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Latest news and features from theguardian.com, the world's leading liberal voiceen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:31:31 GMT2015-08-02T20:31:31Zen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015The Guardianhttp://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.pnghttp://www.theguardian.com
The insider's cultural guide to Hargeisa, 'the mother of Somali arts'http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jul/27/insider-cultural-guide-hargeisa-somalia-arts-east-africa
<p>East Africa’s biggest book fair and a packed cultural calendar jostle for space with bleating camels and peaceful hills in Somalia’s second-biggest city</p><p>Sunny, peaceful, surrounded by hills</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jul/27/insider-cultural-guide-hargeisa-somalia-arts-east-africa">Continue reading...</a>Insider's cultural guidesCitiesSomaliaTravelAfricaAfricaMiddle East and North AfricaWorld newsCultureMon, 27 Jul 2015 12:45:07 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jul/27/insider-cultural-guide-hargeisa-somalia-arts-east-africaPhotograph: Barkhad KaariyeHiddo-Dhowr’s singers will take requests while you dine.Photograph: Barkhad KaariyeHiddo-Dhowr’s singers will take requests while you dine.Photograph: Barkhad KaariyeA memorial in Hargeisa marks Somaliland’s breakaway attempt in the 1980s.Photograph: Barkhad KaariyeA memorial in Hargeisa marks Somaliland’s breakaway attempt in the 1980s.Barkhad Kaariye2015-07-27T12:45:07ZAn insider's guide to Fez: Ceramics, courtyards and Macbook decalshttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jul/20/insider-guide-fez-culture-ceramics-courtyards
<p>Satires of Syrian soap operas for Ramadan, courtyards filled with citrus trees and traditional designs given a 21st-century twist make this Moroccan city what it is</p><p>Winding alleys and open courtyards.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jul/20/insider-guide-fez-culture-ceramics-courtyards">Continue reading...</a>Insider's cultural guidesCitiesFezMoroccoCultureAfricaMiddle East and North AfricaMoroccoWorld newsTravelAfricaMon, 20 Jul 2015 06:30:03 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jul/20/insider-guide-fez-culture-ceramics-courtyardsPhotograph: Salim BelghaziWorth the stairs … the view from the roof of Riad Belghazi.Photograph: Salim BelghaziWorth the stairs … the view from the roof of Riad Belghazi.Photograph: Jamie McCaffrey on FlickrGraffiti in Fez.Photograph: Jamie McCaffrey on FlickrGraffiti in Fez.Photograph: Salah GhrissiThe timeless beauty of Fez.Photograph: Salah GhrissiThe timeless beauty of Fez.Samia Errazzouki2015-07-20T06:30:03ZSacred mystery: the photographers obsessed with the crumbling sphinxhttp://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/jul/15/sacred-mystery-the-photographers-obsessed-with-the-crumbling-sphinx
<p>From eerie Victorian prints to Freudian school-outing snaps, the ancient Egyptian colossus has captivated photographers since the dawn of the medium</p><p>For 50 centuries, the great sphinx of Giza has been a silent witness to history, as nomads, travellers, armies and tourists passed underneath its massive limestone form, stopped to climb on it or simply to marvel at its monolithic presence. “The pharaohs, Ethiopians, Persians, Lagids, Romans, lower empire Christians, Arabs, Fatimids, Mamluks, Turks, French and English have slept in its shadow,” observed the pioneering French photographer and writer Maxime Du Camp. “Nations, religions, mores and laws have come and gone, but it remains.”</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/jul/15/sacred-mystery-the-photographers-obsessed-with-the-crumbling-sphinx">Continue reading...</a>Art and designCultureEgyptAfricaTravelWed, 15 Jul 2015 10:21:43 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/jul/15/sacred-mystery-the-photographers-obsessed-with-the-crumbling-sphinxPhotograph: PROne of the earliest images … photograph by Felix Bonfils, 1865. All images from Souvenirs of the Sphinx by Wouters DeruytterPhotograph: PROne of the earliest images … photograph by Felix Bonfils, 1865. All images from Souvenirs of the Sphinx by Wouters DeruytterSean O'Hagan2015-07-15T10:21:43ZAdvice to travellers planning holidays in Greece and Tunisiahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jul/04/travel-advice-planning-holidays-greece-tunisia
<p>What has been the impact on tourism of recent events in Greece, Tunisia and France, and what should you do if planning a holiday to or via those places?</p><p>Tour operators are not currently offering people the chance of a refund or to postpone pre-booked holidays to Greece, as the FCO advice regarding the country has not changed. Travel companies are encouraging holidaymakers to go ahead with their trips as planned, saying there will be very little effect on them, and that it’s business as usual in the country’s holiday resorts.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jul/04/travel-advice-planning-holidays-greece-tunisia">Continue reading...</a>GreeceTunisiaEuropeAfricaTravelWorld newsEuropeSat, 04 Jul 2015 06:00:05 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/jul/04/travel-advice-planning-holidays-greece-tunisiaPhotograph: CorbisOld monastery in Monastir.Photograph: CorbisOld monastery in Monastir.Photograph: AlamySkiathos, Greece.Photograph: AlamySkiathos, Greece.Gemma Bowes2015-07-04T06:00:05ZHow the Mediterranean crises are affecting tourists' summer planshttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/03/mediterranean-crises-tunisia-greece-france-italty-migration-tourists-summer-holiday
<p>Thousands have cancelled trips to Tunisia after the terror attack in Sousse, but Greece, on the brink of exiting the eurozone, appears as popular as ever</p><p>Greece in turmoil, Tunisia reeling from terrorism, France in the grip of a port blockade, Italy grappling with migrant tragedies out at sea.</p><p>The Mediterranean crises are taking their toll on tourism as the peak summer period looms, but experts think the knock-on effect on each country will be very different.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/jun/29/greek-financial-crisis-holiday-plans-holidaymakers-difficulties">How the Greek financial crisis could affect your holiday plans</a> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/03/mediterranean-crises-tunisia-greece-france-italty-migration-tourists-summer-holiday">Continue reading...</a>Travel & leisureTravelWorld newsGreeceAfricaEuropeMigrationMiddle East and North AfricaBusinessTunisiaGreeceEuropeTunisiaAfricaFri, 03 Jul 2015 14:36:59 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/03/mediterranean-crises-tunisia-greece-france-italty-migration-tourists-summer-holidayPhotograph: Lionel Cironneau/APA man relaxes in the Mediterranean in Nice, France.Photograph: Sean Smith for the GuardianPiraeas Marina, Athens. The head of Greece’s tourist industry association conceded that the referendum and week-long closure of banks had seen hotel bookings dive by 50,000 a day.Will Coldwell, Louise Osborne in Berlin, David Crouch in Gothenburg, and Peter Walker2015-07-03T14:36:59ZAn insider's guide to Addis Ababa: Car crashes, coffee and contemporary arthttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/29/insider-guide-addis-ababa-car-crashes-coffee-contemporary-art
<p>From the Ethiopian Jay Leno to a serious coffee culture, artist sanctuaries and a history of motor accidents, the streets of Addis Ababa host a collision of culture</p><p>Traditional, hybrid, laid-back, power, spice</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/29/insider-guide-addis-ababa-car-crashes-coffee-contemporary-art">Continue reading...</a>Insider's cultural guidesEthiopiaAfricaCitiesTravelCultureMon, 29 Jun 2015 09:49:23 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/29/insider-guide-addis-ababa-car-crashes-coffee-contemporary-artPhotograph: Metesabia YosephThe Zoma Arts Center in Addis.Photograph: Girma Berta/@gboxcreative/instagramOne of the oldest pastry shops in Addis.Photograph: Girma Berta/@gboxcreative/instagramOne of the oldest pastry shops in Addis.Metasebia Yoseph2015-06-29T09:49:23ZTunisia attack: Foreign Office says 15 Britons killed and death toll may risehttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/27/tunisia-prime-minister-to-shut-mosques-inciting-terrorism-as-isis-claims-attack
<p data-dropid="0">Theresa May to chair emergency Cobra meeting over what PM called ‘savage’ killings by Islamic State terrorist of at least 39 tourists<br></p><p>The UK home secretary, Theresa May, is to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee on Sunday morning as it became clear that British tourists bore the brunt of the Tunisian beach attack by an Islamic State extremist.</p><p>Fifteen Britons died in the shooting in the coastal city of Sousse but the toll could rise further, the Foreign Office said on Saturday, in what it called “the most significant terrorist attack on the British people” since 7 July 2005.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/27/tunisia-beach-attack-the-victims">Tunisia beach attack: the victims</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/27/tunisia-attack-he-looked-right-at-me-i-thought-i-was-dead-says-tourist">Tunisia attack: 'He looked right at me – I thought I was dead,' says tourist</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/27/police-tighten-wimbledon-security-after-terrorist-attacks">Police tighten Wimbledon security after terrorist attacks</a> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/27/tunisia-prime-minister-to-shut-mosques-inciting-terrorism-as-isis-claims-attack">Continue reading...</a>TunisiaIslamic StateFranceMiddle East and North AfricaUK newsWalesIrelandKuwaitAfricaAfricaTravelEuropeUK security and counter-terrorismSat, 27 Jun 2015 21:21:49 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/27/tunisia-prime-minister-to-shut-mosques-inciting-terrorism-as-isis-claims-attackPhotograph: Xinhua /Landov / Barcroft Media/Xinhua /Landov / Barcroft MediaJessica Elgot, Chris Johnston and agencies2015-06-27T21:21:49ZCape Town's death industry: 'If you’re buried here, it’s ​​as if they threw you away'http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/23/cape-town-south-africa-death-graves-xhosa-buried-eastern-cape
<p>The Xhosa people make up the vast majority of Cape Town’s black population, spending most or all of their lives in the South African city. So why are they so terrified of being buried here?</p><p>One recent Friday night just outside Cape Town, I sat on the side of the N1 highway and counted dead bodies. Kombi vans pulling coffins on trailers were converging at a tunnel that cuts through the mountains. Some call this the border between the city and “the Other Side”: the Eastern Cape, the rural heartland of the Xhosa people where hills are dotted with colourfully painted mud huts and pastures are grazed by sheep, goats and cattle.</p><p>Many Xhosas leave the family homestead to work in Cape Town. They make up the vast majority of this South African city’s black population and spend most, if not all, of their lives there. But few want to spend their afterlives there too. So, every weekend, the reverse migration of the dead begins. Over the span of four hours, I counted 196 coffins.</p><p>​These drives can be perilous and they are expensive, too: the transport alone can cost upwards of $1,000</p><p>For bodies to make the journey to the Eastern Cape they have to be embalmed, which happens at the mortuary</p><p>When we die, we need to sleep peacefully and rest, not drown. How can we die so many times?</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/23/cape-town-south-africa-death-graves-xhosa-buried-eastern-cape">Continue reading...</a>CitiesDeath and dyingGlobal developmentCape TownSouth AfricaWorld newsSouth AfricaAfricaAfricaTravelLife and styleTue, 23 Jun 2015 06:45:40 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/23/cape-town-south-africa-death-graves-xhosa-buried-eastern-capePhotograph: Per-Anders Pettersson/GettyMost of Cape Town’s Xhosa population resides in townships such as Khayelitsha.Photograph: Per-Anders Pettersson/GettyMost of Cape Town’s Xhosa population resides in townships such as Khayelitsha.Photograph: Diana SaverinA Cape Town undertaker looks for a coffin for her client.Photograph: Diana SaverinA Cape Town undertaker looks for a coffin for her client.Photograph: Diana Saverin/Diana SaverinMourners sing at a Khayelitsha funeralPhotograph: Diana Saverin/Diana SaverinMourners sing at a Khayelitsha funeralPhotograph: Finbarr O'Reilly/ReutersGraves in Khayelitsha seen through the window of an abandoned cemetery caretaker’s hut.Photograph: Finbarr O'Reilly/ReutersGraves in Khayelitsha seen through the window of an abandoned cemetery caretaker’s hut.Photograph: Diana SaverinIn just four hours one recent Friday evening, 196 coffins left Cape Town for the Other Side.Photograph: Diana SaverinIn just four hours one recent Friday evening, 196 coffins left Cape Town for the Other Side.Photograph: Diana SaverinA sandy cemetery in Khayelitsha, Cape Town’s largest township.Photograph: Diana SaverinA sandy cemetery in Khayelitsha, Cape Town’s largest township.Diana Saverin in Cape Town2015-06-23T06:45:40ZInstagram snapshots: Debbie Pappyn and David De Vleeschauwer in South Africa – in pictureshttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2015/jun/17/instagram-snapshots-debbie-pappyn-and-david-de-vleeschauwer-south-africa
<p>South Africa’s compelling Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces provide plenty of inspiration for the writer-and-photographer duo behind the blog <a href="http://www.classetouriste.be/">classetouriste.be</a> as they explore landscapes and wildlife on a 4,500km journey<br><br></p><ul><li><strong><strong>Share your travels in Instagram pictures with a series of three snaps, plus captions, and by adding #guardiantravelsnaps</strong></strong></li><li><strong>Follow Guardian Travel on Instagram at <a href="https://instagram.com/guardiantravelsnaps/">guardiantravelsnaps</a></strong></li><li><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/series/snapshot"><strong>Find photo inspiration from our Instagram Snapshots series</strong></a></li></ul> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2015/jun/17/instagram-snapshots-debbie-pappyn-and-david-de-vleeschauwer-south-africa">Continue reading...</a>Travel photographySouth AfricaAfricaTravelWed, 17 Jun 2015 10:39:30 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2015/jun/17/instagram-snapshots-debbie-pappyn-and-david-de-vleeschauwer-south-africaPhotograph: Debbie Pappyn and David De VleeschauwerPhotograph: Debbie Pappyn and David De VleeschauwerThe Guardian2015-06-17T10:39:30ZUganda: the human story behind gorilla tourism – videohttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/video/2015/jun/11/batwa-people-virunga-under-threat-video
In 2014, the Oscar-nominated documentary <a href="http://virungamovie.com/">Virunga</a> exposed the threat to gorillas in Congo, but in neighbouring Uganda the Batwa – who have shared forests with mountain gorillas for generations – face a struggle for survival. The creation of national parks has seen tourism boom, though the Batwa have been forcibly evicted from their land. Now, charities are calling for community tourism projects to help the Batwa benefit from the money being made in what used to be their home<br /><br />To learn more about the Batwa and community tourism in Uganda please visit:<br /><br />• <a href="https://uobdu.wordpress.com/">United Organisation for Batwa Development in Uganda </a><br /><br />• <a href="http://www.volcanoessafaris.com/non-profit/">Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust</a> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/video/2015/jun/11/batwa-people-virunga-under-threat-video">Continue reading...</a>UgandaAfricaWildlife holidaysTravelGreen travelUgandaAfricaWorld newsEnvironmentAnimalsThu, 11 Jun 2015 05:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/video/2015/jun/11/batwa-people-virunga-under-threat-videotheguardian.comBatwa people Photograph: theguardian.comRupert Shanks, Jocie Cox, Rory Maclean, Rory Trust, Ed West, Michael Tait2015-06-11T05:00:00ZThen-and-now images show how apartheid tore the soul out of a South African communityhttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2015/jun/03/double-vision-how-apartheid-tore-soul-out-of-south-africa-port-elizabeth-south-end
<p>A new exhibition, Double Vision, explores the impact of the forced removal of inhabitants from Port Elizabeth’s South End neighbourhood to segregated townships. It is compiled by former South End resident <a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/e/double-vision-exhibition-public-walkabout-and-qa-with-yusuf-agherdien-tickets-16696222852">Yusuf Agherdien</a></p><ul><li><a href="https://lsecities.net/media/objects/events/double-vision">Read more about LSE Cities’ D</a><a href="https://lsecities.net/media/objects/events/double-vision">ouble Vision exhibition<br></a></li></ul> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2015/jun/03/double-vision-how-apartheid-tore-soul-out-of-south-africa-port-elizabeth-south-end">Continue reading...</a>CitiesSouth AfricaSouth AfricaAfricaAfricaGlobal developmentPhotographyWed, 03 Jun 2015 08:37:15 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2015/jun/03/double-vision-how-apartheid-tore-soul-out-of-south-africa-port-elizabeth-south-endPhotograph: HandoutGuardian Staff2015-06-03T08:37:15ZMakoko Floating School, beacon of hope for the Lagos 'waterworld' – a history of cities in 50 buildings, day 48http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/02/makoko-floating-school-lagos-waterworld-history-cities-50-buildings
<p>When Jessica Collins and photographer <a href="http://iwan.com/">Iwan Baan</a> visited Lagos in 2013 to document a radical new school, the Makoko slum was facing demolition. Now the building’s global recognition is helping to give the community fresh hope<br></p><p>Driving into Lagos along the Third Mainland Bridge, the city greets us with a sky as thick as coal-slurry and a soundtrack as soulful as <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/music/fela-kuti">Fela Kuti</a>. Pedestrians slowly criss-cross the eight lanes as we drive, while could-be <a href="http://nowheremag.com/2014/05/outlaws-nigerias-area-boys/">Area Boys</a> transform the beds of pickup trucks into mobile <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/03/ghana-azonto-dance-craze-world">azonto</a> dance-floors. </p><p>Halfway across we turn and spot the <a href="http://www.nleworks.com/case/makoko-floating-school/">Makoko Floating School</a> rising like a beacon out of the murky Lagos Lagoon. It is December 2013, and this is our first glimpse of the inspiring triangular timber structure – only three storeys high, yet commanding the attention of all who travel across the longest bridge in Africa. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/02/makoko-floating-school-lagos-waterworld-history-cities-50-buildings">Continue reading...</a>CitiesGlobal developmentNigeriaNigeriaAfricaAfricaWorld newsTravelTue, 02 Jun 2015 09:42:10 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/02/makoko-floating-school-lagos-waterworld-history-cities-50-buildingsPhotograph: Iwan BaanArchitect Kunlé Adeyemi decided to buoy the school on floating barrels and locally sourced timber.Photograph: Iwan BaanArchitect Kunlé Adeyemi decided to buoy the school on floating barrels and locally sourced timber.Photograph: Iwan BaanMakoko, Nigeria’s oldest slum, is home to a population of roughly 100,000 residents completely adapted to life on water.Photograph: Iwan BaanMakoko, Nigeria’s oldest slum, is home to a population of roughly 100,000 residents completely adapted to life on water.Photograph: Iwan BaanThe aim of the school was to generate a new, sustainable building system for Africa’s coastal regions.Photograph: Iwan BaanThe aim of the school was to generate a new, sustainable building system for Africa’s coastal regions.Photograph: Iwan BaanMakoko schoolchildren on their way back home after classes.Photograph: Iwan BaanMakoko schoolchildren on their way back home after classes.Photograph: Iwan BaanUpon completion in March 2013, the Makoko Floating School soon became a vital meeting-point for this unique community.Photograph: Iwan BaanUpon completion in March 2013, the Makoko Floating School soon became a vital meeting-point for this unique community.Photograph: Iwan BaanPhotograph: Iwan BaanJessica Collins2015-06-02T09:42:10ZHelp stop poaching: go on safari in Africahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/30/africa-safari-tourism-elephants-conservation
<p>As tourist numbers in east and southern Africa fall due to terrorism fears, local incomes and anti-poaching patrols drop too – which is when the poachers step in</p><p>Read the Foreign Office advice on travel to Kenya and you’d be forgiven for avoiding the place altogether. Words like terrorism, piracy, kidnapping and violence are splattered through it like bullets. Although this advice refers to the coast and Somali border, the entire country is suffering. According to Kenyan government statistics, British visitor numbers have fallen by more than a third since 2012 (from 185,976 to 117,201 in 2014).</p><p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2014/may/30/african-fire-paul-goldsteins-dramatic-sunsets-on-the-masai-mara">Paul Goldstein</a>, a guide for Exodus and co-owner of Kenya-based <a href="http://kicheche.com/">Kicheche Camps</a>, says: “If the tourists don’t go on safari, there are no eyes on the ground and the locals don’t get paid. The poachers move in.”</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/feb/19/top-10-affordable-safaris-east-africa">Top 10 affordable safaris in east Africa</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/picture/2015/mar/19/lewa-wildlife-conservancy-kenya">World view: Lewa wildlife conservancy, Kenya</a> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/30/africa-safari-tourism-elephants-conservation">Continue reading...</a>SafarisAfricaKenyaTanzaniaZimbabweWildlife holidaysTravelConservationWildlifeAfricaEnvironmentWorld newsSat, 30 May 2015 06:00:04 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/30/africa-safari-tourism-elephants-conservationPhotograph: AFP/Getty ImagesAn anti-poaching squad from the Kenya Wildlife Service on patrol in Kora national park.Photograph: AFP/Getty ImagesAn anti-poaching squad from the Kenya Wildlife Service on patrol in Kora national park.Photograph: AlamyA lioness surrounded by safari tourists in the Maasai Mara national park.Photograph: AlamyA lioness surrounded by safari tourists in the Maasai Mara national park.Photograph: Kevin RushbyDawn patrol … Elephants are highly prized by tourists and poachers alike. Photograph: Kevin RushbyPhotograph: Kevin RushbyDawn patrol … Elephants are highly prized by tourists and poachers alike. Photograph: Kevin RushbyKevin Rushby2015-05-30T06:00:04ZAfrican people don't want your stinky T-shirts, and other mythbusters – videohttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2015/may/27/eliza-anyangwe-africans-dont-want-stinky-tshirts-mythbusters
When you hear the word 'Africa', what comes to mind? It's likely you think of death, destruction and disease (and maybe safari.) Western media has had a single story of the continent for centuries. But, argues <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/profile/eliza-anyangwe">Eliza Anyangwe</a>, African people are slowly dispelling the myths by telling their own stories online <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2015/may/27/eliza-anyangwe-africans-dont-want-stinky-tshirts-mythbusters">Continue reading...</a>AfricaAfricaGlobal developmentAidChimamanda Ngozi AdichieBooksFilmWed, 27 May 2015 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2015/may/27/eliza-anyangwe-africans-dont-want-stinky-tshirts-mythbustersguardian.co.uk140x84 trailpic for Eliza Anyangwe: Africans don't want your stinky t-shirts and other mythbustersEliza Anyangwe, Maya Wolfe-Robinson, Leah Green, Bruno Rinvolucri, Caterina Monzani2015-05-27T07:00:00ZWorld view: Masters of the ceremony – Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africahttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/picture/2015/may/21/world-view-xhosa-tribe-initiation-ceremony-south-africa
<p>Previously unseen prints by award-winning South African photographer <a href="http://www.pieterhugo.com/">Pieter Hugo</a> will go on show in London at the inaugural In Focus display, part of the National Portrait Gallery’s <a href="http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/twppp-2015/exhibition.php">Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2015</a> exhibition. Hugo is known for documentary-style portraits of personal experiences in his native South Africa. This photograph is of young men from the Xhosa tribe (from which Nelson Mandela came) on the day of their boys-to-men initiation ceremony in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. Submissions for this year’s Taylor Wessing prize are being accepted until 6 July, and the exhibition will run from 12 November to 21 February 2016.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/picture/2015/may/21/world-view-xhosa-tribe-initiation-ceremony-south-africa">Continue reading...</a>Travel photographySouth AfricaAfricaTravelTaylor Wessing photographic portrait prizePhotographyCultureArt and designThu, 21 May 2015 10:38:16 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/picture/2015/may/21/world-view-xhosa-tribe-initiation-ceremony-south-africaPhotograph: Pieter HugoPhotograph: Pieter HugoPieter Hugo2015-05-21T10:38:16ZFlood of new dam projects threatens world’s last wild rivershttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/16/hydropower-dams-projects-wild-rivers-worldwide
<p>Hundreds of proposals to stem the flow of the planet’s last untouched waterways with hydroelectric plants are going ahead – with seemingly little thought for the environment, wildlife or people who live by them</p><p>Have you ever seen a truly wild river, without human management, settlements or dams? Well, your chances are decreasing. Concern over fossil fuel use is leading to a huge rise in hydroelectric projects. China is building hundreds of dams, some on Asia’s last wild rivers: the <a href="http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/the-salween-river-basin-fact-sheet-7481">Salween</a> (called the Nu in China) and the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet).</p><p>Europe is also in the grip of a dam bonanza. According to the NGO Riverwatch, more than 570 sizeable dam projects are being planned in the Balkans alone. This is particularly controversial as many of Europe’s untouched rivers are in this area, which is home to an estimated 40% of the continent’s snails and mussels, plus 69 endemic fish species, among them the huchen – a rare Danube salmon. Even a small country like Macedonia has more than 400 proposed hydro projects.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/16/hydropower-dams-projects-wild-rivers-worldwide">Continue reading...</a>RiversEuropeAsiaAfricaHydropowerEnvironmentTravelSat, 16 May 2015 06:00:18 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/16/hydropower-dams-projects-wild-rivers-worldwidePhotograph: AlamyThere are 33 hydro electric projects planned for the Vjosa river, Albania.Photograph: AlamyThere are 33 hydro electric projects planned for the Vjosa river, Albania.Photograph: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty ImageThe 1,749-mile Salween is one of the world’s longest undammed riversPhotograph: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty ImageThe 1,749-mile Salween is one of the world’s longest undammed riversPhotograph: AlamyHistoric Hasankeyf, an ancient Kurdish city in Turkey, is under threat from the Ilisu Dam project. Photograph: AlamyPhotograph: AlamyHistoric Hasankeyf, an ancient Kurdish city in Turkey, is under threat from the Ilisu Dam project. Photograph: AlamyKevin Rushby2015-05-16T06:00:18ZYamoussoukro's Notre-Dame de la Paix, the world's largest basilica - a history of cities in 50 buildings, day 37http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/15/yamoussoukro-notre-dame-de-la-paix-ivory-coast-worlds-largest-basilica-history-of-cities-in-50-buildings-day-37
<p>In the Ivory Coast’s small and remote capital city stands a church as tall as St Peter’s in Rome, with personal air-conditioning for every seat. It is a bewildering legacy of the country’s ‘founding father’, Félix Houphouët-Boigny</p><p>Notre-Dame de la Paix, built in Ivory Coast’s administrative capital Yamoussoukro between 1985 and 1989, is a church of such national pride that, during the country’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivorian_Civil_War">decade of periodic civil conflict</a>, citizens often sought refuge within its walls, knowing it would never be attacked.</p><p> Bishop Sim&eacute;on Ahouna recalls one visitor in particular, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/sep/21/guardianobituaries1">General Gu&eacute;&iuml;</a> – who fronted the west African country’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Ivorian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat">first coup in 1999</a> and then ruled for 10 months – turning up at the basilica late one night. “It was in 2000, and he came to pray. My advice to him was not to cling to power,” says Ahouna, who heads the foundation charged with looking after the <a href="http://www.ndpbasilique.org/">world’s largest basilica</a>. “It wasn’t just him, either; whenever there were political crises, people would come and shelter because nobody would ransack here.”</p><p>Modelled on St Peter’s in Rome, John Paul II requested the cupola be slightly lower so as not to surpass the papal one</p><p>Inside there is standing room for 11,000 people, yet attendances usually only number in the few hundreds</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/11/johannesburgs-ponte-city-the-tallest-and-grandest-urban-slum-in-the-world-a-history-of-cities-in-50-buildings-day-33">Johannesburg's Ponte City: 'the tallest and grandest urban slum in the world' – a history of cities in 50 buildings, day 33</a> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/15/yamoussoukro-notre-dame-de-la-paix-ivory-coast-worlds-largest-basilica-history-of-cities-in-50-buildings-day-37">Continue reading...</a>CitiesAfricaIvory CoastArchitectureWorld newsReligionAfricaGlobal developmentFri, 15 May 2015 09:24:06 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/15/yamoussoukro-notre-dame-de-la-paix-ivory-coast-worlds-largest-basilica-history-of-cities-in-50-buildings-day-37Photograph: Luc Gnago/ReutersCompleted in 1989 for an estimated $300m, the basilica is said to have doubled Ivory Coast’s national debt.Photograph: Luc Gnago/ReutersCompleted in 1989 for an estimated $300m, the basilica is said to have doubled Ivory Coast’s national debt.Monica Mark West Africa Correspondent2015-05-15T09:24:06ZJohannesburg's Ponte City: 'the tallest and grandest urban slum in the world' – a history of cities in 50 buildings, day 33http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/11/johannesburgs-ponte-city-the-tallest-and-grandest-urban-slum-in-the-world-a-history-of-cities-in-50-buildings-day-33
<p>In an inner-city neighbourhood gradually shedding its crime-riddled skin, Ponte is a symbol of the renaissance sweeping South Africa’s commercial capital</p><p>“On the 13th and 14th floor you could get anything from a blow-job to an acid trip in a few minutes. Essentially, the building was hijacked.”</p><p>In his penthouse apartment on the 52nd floor, Mike Luptak is talking about the bad old days when <a href="http://mg.co.za/article/2012-04-20-pontes-fourth-coming-an-urban-icon-reborn">Ponte, the tallest residential building in the southern hemisphere</a>, fell into the hands of drug dealers, gangsters, pimps and prostitutes. The inner core of this 173-metre high concrete cylinder became a giant rubbish tip piled up as far as the fifth floor. Among the refuse and junk were, so legend has it, the bodies of residents who took a suicidal leap.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/11/johannesburgs-ponte-city-the-tallest-and-grandest-urban-slum-in-the-world-a-history-of-cities-in-50-buildings-day-33">Continue reading...</a>CitiesArchitectureSouth AfricaJohannesburgAfricaAfricaTravelSouth AfricaArt and designWorld newsMon, 11 May 2015 06:00:10 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/11/johannesburgs-ponte-city-the-tallest-and-grandest-urban-slum-in-the-world-a-history-of-cities-in-50-buildings-day-33Photograph: AlamyPrayer gatherings in the Hillbrow neighbourhood, overlooked by the Ponte tower, in 2014.Photograph: AlamyPrayer gatherings in the Hillbrow neighbourhood, overlooked by the Ponte tower, in 2014.Photograph: APVisitors get a tour inside the 54-storey Ponte tower earlier this year.Photograph: APVisitors get a tour inside the 54-storey Ponte tower earlier this year.Photograph: AlamyDesigned by 29-year-old architect Rodney Grosskopff, the Ponte tower was the height of aspiration for apartheid’s ruling white minority.Photograph: AlamyDesigned by 29-year-old architect Rodney Grosskopff, the Ponte tower was the height of aspiration for apartheid’s ruling white minority.Photograph: AlamyPhotograph: AlamyDavid Smith in Johannesburg2015-05-11T06:00:10ZTop 10 B&Bs and riads in Essaouira, Moroccohttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/01/essaouira-morocco-bed-and-breakfast
<p>The seaside city of Essaouira has a wide array of stylish accommodation from which to enjoy its ancient ramparts, delicious seafood and bohemian vibe. And thanks to a new easyJet flight, it’s now a feasible weekend getaway<br></p><ul><li><strong><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/01/essaouira-short-break-easyjet-flight">Why Essaouira now makes an ideal short break </a></strong><br></li></ul><p>Down a narrow alleyway in the heart of the old city, an imposing wooden door leads into an unexpectedly airy, light-filled space. A spiral staircase winds up three floors to the eight rooms, where bright white walls are offset with colourful cushions and throws that give the rooms their names. Then it’s just a few more steps to the expansive terrace, with panoramic views over the medina. The breakfast menu – served in the stylish lounge or on the terrace – changes with the seasons but there’s always orange or mandarin juice, freshly baked bread and homemade jams, and friendly staff to answer any questions. <br />• <em>Doubles from €49 B&amp;B, +212 524 47 62 97, </em><em><a href="http://darliouba.eu/">darliouba.eu</a></em></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/01/essaouira-morocco-bed-and-breakfast">Continue reading...</a>MoroccoBed and breakfastsAfricaWeekend breaksTop 10sTravelFri, 01 May 2015 06:00:07 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/01/essaouira-morocco-bed-and-breakfastPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: aframsound@hotmail.comPhotograph: aframsound@hotmail.comPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: PRPhotograph: Quentin Isma‘An unexpectedly airy, light-filled space’ … Dar Liouba B&amp;B in Essouira.Photograph: Quentin Isma‘An unexpectedly airy, light-filled space’ … Dar Liouba B&amp;B in Essouira.Sarah Gilbert2015-05-01T06:00:07ZEssaouira for a weekend break? Yes, thanks to a new direct flighthttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/01/essaouira-short-break-easyjet-flight
<p>The Moroccan town of Essaouira is well-known to watersports fans, but new direct flights from the UK bring more of the rugged coastal province within reach for a romantic break<br></p><ul><li><strong><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/01/essaouira-morocco-bed-and-breakfast">Top 10 B&amp;Bs and riads in Essaouira</a></strong></li></ul><p>A donkey brayed outside our window and I woke, fumbling for a light switch before I remembered where we were. There are no light switches at R&eacute;sidence Le Kaouki – in the village of Sidi Kaouki, 25km from Essaouira on Morocco’s Atlantic coast – because there’s no electricity: just candles and lighters by each bed. It also has no en suite facilities – just three shower rooms downstairs and a loo on the ground and first floors. So I used my smartphone torch to light my trip down the hall, to where a last inch of candle was guttering over the washbasin.</p><p>I couldn’t remember when I’d last stayed somewhere without an en suite – and I couldn’t believe how little this, or the lack of electricity, bothered me. It had felt gloriously romantic the night before to blow out our candles after kissing goodnight. (Paloma Picasso is a regular visitor from her home in Marrakech, and she chooses the room on the roof – further from the loo but nearer the stars, she says.) I might have felt moved to tweet a picture of the beautiful shadows cast by a lantern in the first-floor sitting area – but of course there’s no Wi-Fi either.<br /></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/01/essaouira-short-break-easyjet-flight">Continue reading...</a>MoroccoAfricaTravelBeach holidaysHotelsShort breakseasyJetAirline industryFri, 01 May 2015 06:00:05 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/may/01/essaouira-short-break-easyjet-flightPhotograph: PRThe Unesco-listed medina of EssaouiraPhotograph: PRThe Unesco-listed medina of EssaouiraLiz Boulter2015-05-01T06:00:05Z